Best Place to Exchange Money in Sharm el-Sheikh

Where to change money in Sharm el-Sheikh

Frommer's describes Sharm as full of banks and exchange offices, and a local guide places bureaux along the Naama Bay strip and in SOHO Square. Hotels swap money too, though that guide says their rates are usually weaker. Many hotels take dollars and euros, but a transfer guide notes that you get a better deal in Egyptian pounds, so change some cash early in your stay.

• Banque Misr, Naama Bay branch, Al Salam Street, Naama Bay - On the bank's branch list with currency exchange among its services; no opening hours are given online.
• Banque Misr, Old Market branch, Tiran Mall - The bank's after-hours list gives full banking from 12 noon to 8 pm Sunday to Thursday, then exchange only until midnight; on Fridays and Saturdays it changes money from 6 pm to midnight. The list is undated and hours differ in Ramadan, so check first.

Changing money at the airport

If you fly into Sharm el-Sheikh airport and stay less than 15 days at the resorts of Sharm, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba, the Foreign Office says no visa is needed; you are given a free entry stamp on landing. Leave those resorts, for example to see Cairo or Luxor, or stay longer, and you need a visa: 30 US dollars as an e-visa paid online by card, or the same amount in cash at the arrival kiosks. Some transfer guides still quote 25 dollars; plan on 30.

Banque Misr lists an arrivals-hall branch at the airport, though it shows only Ramadan hours, and a transfer guide updated in April 2026 says there are ATMs at the airport and around town, so take out enough for the ride and your first day. Naama Bay is about 10 km away, 15 to 20 minutes by road. Airport taxis are unmetered with no official fare board, so agree the price before leaving or ask your hotel to send a car. Sharm is missing from Uber's list of Egyptian cities, so do not count on the app.

ATMs and cards in Sharm el-Sheikh

Cash machines are easy to find in Naama Bay, at the airport and in large hotels, and a Sharm excursion seller says most accept international cards and give instructions in English. Choose one run by a bank: Which? finds standalone machines often tack on premiums, and Wise says a local fee, if any, is displayed before you go ahead.

Frommer's says most hotels take the main credit cards, and Visa and Mastercard are taken in many restaurants and shops, but small shops, souks and some taxis may want cash. When a terminal asks whether to bill you in pounds, choose Egyptian pounds; Which? says paying in pounds hands the exchange rate to the retailer. Egypt limits local notes to EGP 5,000 each way, and anything over 10,000 US dollars in foreign currency has to be declared as you land.

Paying for transport in Sharm el-Sheikh

Hotels in Sharm are far apart, and Frommer's calls taxis an unfortunate necessity. Bargain before you climb in and carry small notes so you can pay the exact amount. Frommer's singles out Naama Bay as the one area where you can stroll from a hotel to restaurants and bars; for the Old Market or SOHO Square you will need a ride.

No ferry to Hurghada could be confirmed: Direct Ferries says nothing is currently sailing on the route, so do not plan around one. Hotels and dive centres sell boat trips and transfers; ask whether the price is in pounds, dollars or euros before you agree.

Good to know

• Baksheesh is customary, and Lonely Planet calls tipping standard practice in Egypt. Local guides suggest about EGP 10 to 20 for a taxi driver or small service, and more for guides and boat crews after a full day out.
• TUI says a 10 per cent restaurant tip is common in Sharm when service is not already included.
• The Foreign Office advises against all but essential trips to the inland north of South Sinai, beyond the St Catherine to Nuweiba road. The coastal resorts, Sharm included, are outside that area, but check its latest advice before booking a desert excursion.